I think this is the most beautiful Spitfire out there in it's class. I'm sure there's more scale kits but the profile on this Spit really gives me visual pleasure just sitting static on it's gear. Now if I can find the time and inclination to fix the cowl/bat hatch and canopy from departing the rest of the airplane. I hope to have a good videographer to capture the maiden and when I do I'll be sure to post the results whatever they may be.
Cheers

My spit even more embarassingly is still in the box! I havent done hardly any flying all year, Ive had alot of personal upheaval in the last 12months including a move at the end of Aug and since Ive been in my new place the winds have been ridiculous 20-45mph gusts most days. Im simply not experienced enough to fly in that, I know some do!

I assume you mean in the box from your move...? I thought you flown it before you moved, right?
I haven't flown much myself due to weather conditions and lack of an appropriate location. I have to fly off the local fair grounds and the last 4-5 times the weather has been nice they've had an event out there. I got the Spitfire out today to look at but that's as far as it got.

Well, took the plunge and ordered a Spitfire from the states, once I got the shipping down a bit. First quote to Australia was Fedex - $1217!!. US Post was $645.00 and DHL were $259.00 - but I just couldn't bring my self to pay more in post than what the kit was worth. Then the dealer came in at $70 odd so I bought it.
All the CMPRO dealers here had long since sold out. Hope it ships ok.

When it arrives, I will measure it up and see how close it is and then go nuts on it. My other Spitfire - the Pilot 49" one - is dead scale but only the fuselage is together. It has all the scale formers and some of the longerons for effect but without access to a scroll saw, this has been a very tedious procedure. Can anyone recommend a good brand of scroll saw?

Going to build this one up with a lot more detail as a practice run for the little one which will be my next F4C machine, unless the TSR2 bug bites again! Love that thing but it is a bit awkward to cart around with over 7 feet of fuselage...

A "what not to do" on Christmas story! It is now my usual practice with any kit to wax the inside of the canopy and then fill it up with plaster to make a mould. This is handy should I need to vacuum form another canopy and I have had enough practice but my first one wasn't so good....

Christmas eve and I am trying to get a Tigercat finished for the Australian Nationals 1972? - my first go at using a friends vacuum box. Sounds simple enough - bolt the clear plastic between the frames, soften in the oven and drop over the mould, hitting the vacuum cleaner button to draw the canopy down. Works really well once you know what you are doing.

Anyway, around at the parents place, heated up the oven, vacuum cleaner ready and in goes the frame with the plastic. Watching through the oven door it start to soften and then whammo! It bursts into flames and can't see anything for the smoke.

Then I did the dumb thing! Grabbed the fire extinguisher, ripped open the oven door and let loose. Chaos. Foam everwhere, the moulding frame all charred and the house filled up with thick white smoke. Should have just let it die out.

Seems I had been given nitrate instead of buytyrate plastic or vice a versa, can't remember which now. The plastic was the same stuff as used in smoke grenades it turns out.

Needless to say, the old man went ballistic, kicked me out of the house and I spent Christmas eve on the couch at the girlfriends and Chistmas day there as well. Found out later that the Christmas roast at home tasted a bit funny and it took days for the smell to go...

There are just some jobs you shouldn't do at Christmas!! Have a great Christmas folks.

....great Christmas Story. Thanks for sharing it. I didn't know smoke grenades used plastic. You really do learn something all the time.

Ok, I have to share this....reminds me of another Holiday story. A girlfriend I know now, that had just gotten married several years ago was having her new inlaws over for Thanksgiving Dinner. She had to dye a dress for the ocassion, and she thought of course, the ceramic roasting pan would be perfect. The dress turned out nicely and she washed the pan out.

Sometime later the traditional turkey took it's place in the roasting pan and placed in the oven. After the proper time the pan was pulled form the oven, and the lid taken off revealing a beautiful, juicy, perfectly BLUE, Thanksgiving turkey. Everyone ended up going out for Thankgiving Dinner that year - I'm not sure how long the marriage lasted.

I hope you can get it out of the box this coming year. I thought you'd already flown it. Actually I liked this plane so much I ordered another on sale months ago and it's still in the box as a spare I hope I'll never need.
Have a good one....
Dick

Well I now have all the gear to start my build so it looks like the new year will be a busy one.
I have gone with
Turnigy Aerodrive SK3 - 5045-660kv Brushless,
XR Type A Beechwood Sport Propeller 15x6
BMS-136MG Retract Servo (Metal Gear) 6.1kg X 2
Turnigy 620DMG+HS High Torque Digital Servo X 4
Turnigy dlux 100A SBEC Brushless Speed Controller.

The motor feels very smooth but being new to this hobby means that I am still guessing quite a bit so I would love it if somebody could go over my choices and let me know if they are OK.

I fly the small thunder tiger spitfire, The escale P47, a swift 2, an easystar and a very fast F15 with a 70mm EDFbut this is the first time I have needed to work out the power system from scratch.

I did a little reading on the new SK3s.. looks like you'll be fine with a 13x6 prop on 4 or 5s.

660kv will give you some flexibility to work with 4s, 5s and 6s batteries and various props but i think you'll be happy with scale like speeds a 13 inch prop will give you on 5s. I think 5s is a good starting point because it'll give you the weight you'll need up front.